A variety of packages, including dispensing packages or containers, have been developed for personal care products such as shampoo, lotions, etc., as well as for other fluid materials. One type of closure for these kinds of containers typically has a flexible, self-sealing, slit-type dispensing valve mounted over the container opening. When the container is squeezed, the fluid contents of the container are discharged through the valve.
Closure designs have been proposed for such valves, and examples are illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,531. Typically, the closure includes a base or housing defining a seat for receiving the valve and includes a retaining ring or clamp structure for holding the valve on the seat in the housing. These components are typically unique with respect to the size and style of the individual closure design which is configured to be mounted on, and coordinated with, a particular container.
It would be desirable, however, to provide an improved system in which the number of components could be reduced and/or in which the component design could be simplified to reduce manufacturing costs.
It would be particularly desirable to provide a system which could employ one or more standardized components and which would require only one, mating component to have non-standard design for attachment to a container of a specific design.
Additionally, it would be beneficial if closure components could be provided with a simplified system for retaining the slit valve and for providing a means for conveniently handling the slit valve during assembly in the closure. It would be especially advantageous to provide an improved system that could eliminate the requirement for using expensive, specialized assembly machines designed to handle such slit valves and which generally operate at a relatively low production speed.
Further, it would also be desirable to provide an improved design which could accommodate the use of a tear-away seal, including a tamper-evident type seal.
Further, it would be advantageous if such an improved closure could provide means for preventing discharge of the container product through the valve during over-pressure events, such as when the container is subjected to high impact forces that might cause the valve to open.
Additionally, it would be desirable if such an improved closure could be provided with a design that would accommodate efficient, high quantity, manufacturing techniques with a reduced product reject rate.
Further, such an improved closure should advantageously accommodate its use with a variety of conventional containers having a variety of conventional container finishes, such as conventional threaded and snap-fit attachment configurations.
The present invention provides an improved closure and closure components which can accommodate designs having the above-discussed benefits and features.